1981 National League Division Series - Overview

Overview

The first-half and second-half champions in both the East and West divisions would meet in best-of-five series, with the winners advancing to the NL Championship Series (NLCS). If the same team won both halves, a wild card team – the second-place team from both halves combined – would qualify for the postseason, but this proved unnecessary in both leagues. There were no plans to continue the format in later seasons, although the Division Series resumed in 1995 after both major leagues realigned into three divisions. The teams in the 1981 NLDS were:

• Eastern Division: Philadelphia Phillies (first-half champion, 34–21) vs. Montreal Expos (second-half champion, 30–23): Expos win series, 3–2.
• Western Division: Los Angeles Dodgers (first-half champion, 36–21) vs. Houston Astros (second-half champion, 33–20): Dodgers win series, 3–2.

The second-half champions played the first two games at home, with the first-half champions hosting the last three; the first-half champions all posted better records in their half of the season than the second-half champions did.

The results of the format were highly controversial, as the Cincinnati Reds failed to qualify for the postseason despite having the best record in baseball (66–42) over the full season (they lost 101 games the following year); the St. Louis Cardinals, with the NL's second-best record (59–43), were also left out. The Reds had finished the first half of the season just a half-game behind the Dodgers, while the Cardinals finished the second half just a half-game behind the Expos, who were making their first postseason appearance after thirteen years of play.

Both series went the full five games. The home team won every game in both series save for one: Game 5 of the Eastern Division series, which Montreal won 3–0 at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium. The Dodgers and Expos went on to meet in the NL Championship Series. The Dodgers became the National League champion, and defeated the American League champion New York Yankees in the 1981 World Series.